Respect rule of law, Annan tells world leaders

3:33PM BST 21 Sep 2004

Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, has warned world leaders that international law was being "shamelessly disregarded" around the world and cited prisoner abuse in Iraq as an example of such violations.

In a speech to the UN general assembly, Mr Annan said that "no one was above the law" whether in Sudan, Iraq, Uganda, Russia or the Middle East.

"Again and again, we see fundamental laws shamelessly disregarded - those that ordain respect for innocent life, for civilians, for the vulnerable - especially children," he said.

Last week Mr Annan told the BBC that the war in Iraq was illegal because it was not approved by the UN Security Council.

President George W Bush is expected to refute that charge when he addresses the UN this afternoon.

Mr Annan urged nations to sign treaties on the protection of civilians and to strengthen and implement disarmament pacts, some of which, such as a nuclear test ban treaty, the Bush administration has disowned.

In his address on the opening day of the two-week session attended by 64 presidents, 25 prime ministers and 86 foreign ministers, Mr Annan also spoke of the situation in Sudan's Darfur region where Arab militiamen have displaced populations and "rape is used as a deliberate strategy".

He also mentioned Beslan in Russia's North Ossetia province, where schoolchildren were taken hostage and "brutally massacred" by Chechen rebels earlier this month.

He said: "Throughout the world, the victims of violence and injustice are waiting - waiting for us to keep our word. They notice when we use words to mask inaction. They notice when laws that should protect them are not applied."